Come Dine With Me South Africa a ratings hit for BBC Worldwide Channels

I’ve learned that South Africans really know how to hold the most entertaining dinner parties in the world, and I’m so glad we had our cameras there when they did. The result has been a series that has exceeded even our own highest expectations and got the whole country watching.” Jon Farrar

Come Dine With Me South Africa, BBC Entertainment’s first original commission for South Africa, has proved to be an instant hit with critics and viewers, averaging over 100,000 viewers per episode, and making BBC Entertainment the number one international channel for DStv viewers during its 21.00-22.00 slot over the course of the series.

The programme, a local version of
ITV Studios’ hit format, made by South African production company Rapid Blue, follows
four contestants as they take it in turn to cook up their idea of the perfect
evening. The contestants cook their very best dishes, snoop round each others’
houses, and try to outwit each other as they mark each dinner party out of ten
to win shopping vouchers and a cash prize. The series concluded with a
celebrity special, featuring 97.4 Highveld Stereo’s Samantha Cowen, SuperSport’s Neil
Andrews, television presenter and model Shashi Naidoo and M-Net presenter Ashley Hayden.

During the premiere time slot
over ten episodes BBC Entertainment
increased time slot share by 172% amongst DSTV adult viewers (16+) compared to
the previous twelve-week slot average, and attracted viewers from a wide range
of demographics.

The antics of the contestants on
the show also proved to be a keen topic of discussion for viewers with
#ComeDineSA trending on Twitter during the series premiere and the BBC Entertainment facebook page (BBC
Entertainment SA) seeing an 800% uplift in engagement.

This enthusiasm for the programme
was mirrored in the press, with praise including Heat magazine declaring the
series “Our very favourite guilty
pleasure” and the Witness observing “Come
Dine With Me South Africa is rapidly becoming one of the most talked about
series on television”.

Jon Farrar, VP
Programming EMEA, BBC Worldwide Channels and Executive Producer commented, “I am thrilled that Come Dine With Me South Africa has been a huge hit with enormous
positive buzz around it. It’s been a real delight to executive produce this
series – a job made easy by working alongside such a talented team at Rapid
Blue. I’ve learned that South Africans really know how to hold the most
entertaining dinner parties in the world, and I’m so glad we had our cameras
there when they did. The result has been a series that has exceeded even our
own highest expectations and got the whole country watching.”

Ian McDonough, SVP and General Manager
EMEA, BBC Worldwide Channels said: “We’re hugely committed to bringing great TV
to South Africa viewers, so we’re delighted that so many of them have tuned in
to watch this series. Come Dine
With Me South Africa has brought together contestants of all backgrounds,
ages and gender, and that’s reflected in the diverse audience it’s brought to
the channel too.”

Come Dine With Me South Africa,
sponsored by Pick n Pay and associate sponsors Knorr, began its first repeat
run on BBC Lifestyle on 2nd
January, and continues on Mondays at 19.00. The series is just one of the
original series commissioned by BBC Worldwide during 2011 in line with its
commitment to more original programming. During February and March 2012, a new
production for the Lonely Planet
brand, Year of Adventures (5x50) presented by Ben Fogle will air on BBC
Knowledge globally, including South
Africa.